| Greensboro, NC: Informed financial planning is key
to reduced stress and improved self-esteem, says a Cooperative Extension
specialist.
"When financial problems get out of control, the stress generated
can destroy a person's family life and affect their work performance,"
says Dr. Claudette Smith, a family resource management specialist with
the NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program.
Fortunately, programs offered through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension
System can help, and Smith points to the work of a local Cooperative Extension
agent as an example.
From the Forsyth County Cooperative Extension Center, Deborah Womack, an
Extension agent in family and consumer education, has been helping Forsyth
County residents, ages 4 to 90, with their budgeting needs for the past
15 years.
"People are often amazed how planning and sticking to a budget can
stretch their incomes," said Womack. "It's often just a matter
of tracing where the money goes that encourages people to stick with a
budget."
For audiences ranging from the Forsyth County Detention Center to local
senior citizen centers, Womack conducts her budgeting programs with two
goals in mind: helping people budget to meet their daily needs, and showing
them the importance of saving.
With these goals in mind, Womack's programs are conducted in three or four
separate sessions of two hours each.
The first session focuses on the wise use of money. In this session, Womack
uses handouts, examples and posters to reinforce the concept of distinguishing
between needs and wants. She also emphasizes the need to establish priorities
when making spending decisions.
"Whether their income results from employment, social security or
other government aid doesn't matter," says Womack. "What's important
is making this money cover basic life needs first, and then looking at
savings or unnecessary purchases. And, because situations are different
for different audiences, I tailor my programs around the needs of the audience."
Since many of the participants in Womack's programs have debt problems,
the second session of the programs is devoted to establishing or reestablishing
credit.
Key to the concepts in the credit session is the idea that debt, when it
occurs, should be manageable.
"Many people amass outrageous credit card bills without even realizing
that they're doing it," said Womack. "Then, when they find themselves
unable to keep up with the payments, they borrow more money or get another
credit card, creating a vicious loop from which it is very difficult to
escape."
Womack teaches participants in this situation how to cut back on other
expenses and focus on reconciling outstanding debts. For participants without
this problem, Womack feels that knowledge of the pitfalls created by unmanageable
debt will make them less likely to make mistakes with credit.
Without proper education, bank accounts can be confusing and intimidating.
For that reason, Womack focuses the third session on different types of
bank accounts and how to manage them.
"Some people don't understand how to balance a checkbook or they don't
realize the importance of it," says Womack. "If they don't know
how much money they have and where it is going, they are going to have
a more difficult time sticking to a budget."
In the banking session, Womack also explains the terms and service charges
of some bank accounts, so her participants are able to make informed decisions
when managing their money.
An optional fourth session addresses rent-to-own issues.
"Sometimes when people see that they have some discretionary income,
they go out and spend it on something, and the rent-to-own offers are enticing,"
says Womack, who structures this session around making informed decisions
by comparing prices and payments between saving to buy an item and renting
it.
"I try to show that things can change with learning," says Womack.
"What might be a large problem now can be eliminated over time with
the right practices, and when we feel more comfortable with our finances,
we feel better about ourselves and free of some of life's pressures."
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For more information, please contact Dr. Claudette Smith, NC A&T Cooperative
Extension Program, (910) 334-7956.
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